XILVA THE NATURAL PERFOMANCE ENHANCER

T H E N AT U R A L P E R F O R M A N C E E N H A N C E R

MICROFIBRILL ATED CELLULOSE

AT A G L ANCE
CHAR ACTERISTICS AND P OTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
T H E N AT U R A L P E R F O R M A N C E E N H A N C E R
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CONTENTS
1. WHAT IS MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE (MFC)?...................................................................................... 3
History of MFC............................................................................................................................................. 4
What is MFC?............................................................................................................................................... 6
Variations of MFC......................................................................................................................................... 7

2. WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT WHEN USING MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE?............................................. 8
Thick and easy flowing formulation.............................................................................................................. 9
High yield stress and improved stability...................................................................................................... 11
Improved water holding capacity................................................................................................................ 13
Strength & reinforcement ........................................................................................................................... 14
Barrier properties ...................................................................................................................................... 15
Innovation opportunities............................................................................................................................. 16

3. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS WHEN APPLYING MFC............................................................................. 17

4. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS....................................................................................................................... 20
Coatings – improving rheology control and coating quality in water-based products................................... 21
Adhesives – good stability at high and low pH............................................................................................ 22
Personal Care – natural thickener with many functions............................................................................... 23
Home Care – stability even at low pH........................................................................................................ 24
Construction – Rheology control and increased stability............................................................................. 25
Agricultural Chemicals – enhanced uptake of herbicides............................................................................. 26
Oilfield – excellent flow properties............................................................................................................. 27
Paper and packaging – wet strength and barrier properties.......................................................................... 28

5. WHAT IS EXILVA AND BORREGAARD?..................................................................................................... 29

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1
WHAT IS MICROFIBRILL ATED
CELLULOSE (MFC)?

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HISTORY OF MFC

Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) was first studied in the late 1970s as a part of research at
the ITT Rayonier labs in the US. Albin Turbak, who worked on MFC at the ITT Rayonier
lab, pursued this new type of cellulose quality and discovered that by using a high-
pressure homogenizer, cellulose fibers could be fibrillated into cellulose microfibrils.

This new material had interesting properties that were
quite different from regular cellulose. ITT Rayonier
did not develop full scale production, and in 1983,
they gave a free license to all parties interested in
investigating this new concept of MFC. From 1983 to
2005, little activity was seen in the industrial field of
MFC, while the amount of patents after 2005 and until
present (2015) has exponentially increased (see figure
below, data up to 2012).
The interest in the concept of MFC has increased in
the end-user markets since 2005, and more and more
manufacturers of end-products are both patenting and
testing out MFC.This interest can also be found in the
search trends for the subject MFC, where a steady
increase has been found during the same period
(Figure 2)

FI G U RE 1
Patent families by year for microfibrillated cellulose and nanocellulose

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Despite the large interest in MFC both in the
academia and the industry, the commercial utilization
of MFC has been limited. The main challenges
in commercializing MFC has been to develop a
process for the fibrillation of the cellulose that is
suitable on a large commercial basis. The fibrillation
of the cellulose, and the material handling during
the process, can be a challenge and also drying the
material without losing performance can be difficult.
As a result, focus on delivering MFC in a wet state,
and the use of MFC in water based systems, has
increased. The benefit of using MFC delivered in a wet
state is that it is readily activated and less energy is
needed to incorporate the MFC into formulations.
Borregaard is currently building the first large scale
commercial plant for MFC production, with a capacity
of 50 000 tons dispersion (1000 tons dry based).

2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

FI G U RE 2
Microfibrillated cellulose and nanocellulose search trends.

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WHAT IS MFC?
The cellulose microfibrils are built up of
cellulose polymers. The cellulose polymer is
a linear polymer that consists of D-glucose
units linked together (Figure 4).
FI G U RE 4
The cellulose polymer consists of D-glucose units
MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE AT A GLANCE: CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
THE NATURAL PERFOMANCE ENHANCER
FI G U RE 3
MFC (Exilva MFC from Borregaard) seen through scanning
electron microscopy.
In nature, these cellulose polymers stack together
and form cellulose microfibrils. When the cellulose
polymers are perfectly stacked together, it creates
highly crystalline regions. However, disorder in the
stacking will also occur leaving more amorphous
regions in the microfibril. The crystalline regions in the
microfibrils, and the very high aspect ratio, gives the
material high strength.
Microfibrillated cellulose has a much higher surface
area than the cellulose raw material and therefore also
a high number of accessible hydroxyl (OH) groups
on the surface of the microfibrils. The exact surface
area is hard to determine since many methods require
drying of the material, but the fibrils aggregate strongly
upon drying, which reduces the surface area. Spence
et al. (2010) used a Congo red method for estimating
the surface area of different MFCs and estimated it to
be 100-200 m2/g. This method is performed in wet
state, and therefore, it is likely to give rather accurate
results.
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VARIATIONS OF MFC
Various types of MFC have been
developed; for example, MFC can be
unmodified or chemically or physically
modified with regards to the hydroxyl
groups on the microfibril surface.
Unmodified MFC is produced by using mechanical
treatment, possibly combined with enzymatic
pretreatment and thereby leaving the hydroxyl groups
on the microfibrils unchanged. The microfibrils
in this type of MFC are often arranged in flexible
aggregates and there are few individual microfibrils.
In chemically modified MFC, the hydroxyl groups
have been changed into, for example, carboxyl groups
or carboxymethyl groups. Having a negative charge
on the surface of the microfibrils, causes a repulsion
between them and leads to easier separation. Often,
this type of MFC has a high degree of individual
microfibrils, and some of these types of MFCs are
even transparent materials (contains only fibrils that
are smaller than the wavelength of visible light).
The surface of the MFC can also be modified with
hydrophobic groups to increase the compatibility with
hydrophobic systems.
Another way to modify the surface of the microfibrils
is to absorb surfactants or polymers onto the
microfibril surface. This can alter the properties of the
MFC and, amongst others, improve compatibility with
hydrophobic systems and prevent loss of functionality
upon drying of the material.
MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE AT A GLANCE: CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
THE NATURAL PERFOMANCE ENHANCER
The various MFCs will give different functionalities in
the end users products. This can relate to, for example,
the amount of hydroxyl groups available, compatibility
with various systems, rheological properties, stability
(temperature, pH and salt) and transparency.
The properties of the MFC will also vary with
the cellulose raw material used to produce the
MFC. Different cellulosic raw materials vary in the
composition and purity, degree of polymerization
of the cellulose polymers, the fiber length and
crystallinity, amongst others. All these parameters can
have an effect on the MFC properties. A few examples
of raw materials used to make MFC are cellulose from
trees (hardwood and softwood), vegetables, sugar beet
pulp and citrus pulp. Another type of MFC can be
made from bacteria producing cellulose microfibers.
Overall, it is important to have good control of the raw
material to ensure high and consistent MFC quality.
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2
WHAT CAN YOU E XPECT WHEN USING
MICROFIBRILL ATED CELLULOSE?

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THICK AND E A SY FLOWING FORMUL ATION

MFC water suspensions have high viscosity already at low concentration, and it is
extremely shear thinning material (Pääkkö et al. 2007, Iotti et al. 2011). Viscosity is a
measure of how much the material resists flow.

As mentioned earlier, MFC consists of a three
dimensional network of long and thin fibrils. This
network is very strong and it resists the flow efficiently,
thus providing the high viscosity. However, when
you start mixing the suspension, in rheological terms
apply force on the suspension, the network eventually
breaks and the fibers start to flow in small aggregates.
The aggregates can flow easier than the network,
thus leading to a lower viscosity upon flow. When
the mixing speed or shear rate is increased, these
aggregates resize and orientate along the flow. This
leads to a decreasing viscosity with increasing shear
rate and it is called shear-thinning behaviour. MFC is
extremely shear thinning, as illustrated in Figure 5.

FI G U RE 5
Viscosity as a function of shear rate for 2% MFC suspension in water. Viscosity drops drastically over the shear rate range
0.2...1000…0.2 s-1 (point time 1 s).

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FI GU RE 6
MFC is an ideal thickener for cosmetic spray products. This picture shows how 0.3% MFC (Exilva
MFC from Borregaard) makes an oil in water sunscreen formulation with inorganic pigments (titanium
dioxide) thicker and prevents dripping totally (on the right hand side) compared to reference without
MFC (on the left hand side). Sun screen containing 0.3% MFC is a liquid product whereas adding 1%
MFC makes a thick cream which also can be sprayed without dripping.

When the shear is stopped and the MFC suspension is
standing still, the network of fibrils builds up again and
the suspension regains its viscosity. This occurs fast,
and the viscosity goes back to the original value or
close to that. Figure 5 illustrates this by showing a flow
curve measured from low shear rate to high shear rate
and back. The upwards and downwards curves are on
top of each other, meaning that the suspension does
not show any time dependent behaviour and viscosity
recovers immediately to the original values when
shearing is decreased. Sometimes extensive shearing
(mixing) can cause permanent aggregation of the fibers
and lower viscosity of the suspension. However, this
rarely occurs in a formulation where there are other
substances between the fibrils which prevent them
from aggregating.
High viscosity at low shear rates and shear thinning
behaviour makes MFC a good thickener. For example,
MFC can be used as a thickener in sprayable sun
creams. It allows the spraying of very thick suspension
since the viscosity decreases during the spraying.
However, when the cream is on the skin and no forces
are applied to the cream, the viscosity retains quickly
and the product stays where it was applied and does
not drip. Another good example is paints. When they
are applied, for instance by brushing, the viscosity
must be low enough, so that the paint is easy to apply
and does not leave brush marks. Immediately after
application, the viscosity increases. This prevents
dripping and sagging.

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HIG H YIELD STRES S AND
IMPROVED STAB ILIT Y
A certain amount of force is needed
before a MFC suspension starts to flow.
This means that it has a yield stress.
Stress is measured by applying force on a certain area
of the material, and this force divided by the area
is stress. The stress value where the material starts
to flow is called yield stress. Figure 7 shows a stress
ramp measured for 1.4% MFC suspension. The test
starts with insufficient stress to make the suspension
flow, and therefore the viscosity is extremely high.
At a certain point (yield point), the stress exceeds the
yield stress, the material starts to flow and the viscosity
drops. The yield stress of the suspension in Figure 7 is
above 41 Pa.

FI G U RE 7
Stress ramp measurement showing the yield point for 1.4% MFC suspension (Exilva, Borregaard).

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FI G U RE 8
MFC (Exilva MFC from Borregaard) tested as stabilizer for acrylic based exterior flat paint (45% polyvinylchloride, PVC, solids volume
37%). Reference paint on the left hand side contains 0.31% HEC and paint on the right hand side contains 0.38% MFC. The stability was
tested over 2 weeks at 49 °C. Reference paint showed moderate syneresis whereas syneresis in the paint with MFC was very low. No
settling was observed in either of the formulations.

MFC suspensions have high yield stress which

makes them good stabilizers for dispersions or
emulsions. Since the fibers are much stronger than
the interactions between them, the yield stress is
dependent on the amount of contacts between the
fibers and forces (interactions) at these contact points.
The highest yield stress is achieved when the fibers
are well dispersed, but still have strong adhesion at
the contact points. The higher the yield stress, the
heavier particles the material can stabilize. Back
to the examples of sun cream and paints; both are
suspensions with pigment particles that need to be
dispersed evenly in the formulation. The MFC network
can “trap” the particles between the fibers and
stabilize the suspension effectively. Figure 8 shows
an example from paints where MFC can stabilize
the acrylic paint better, compared to hydroxyl ethyl
cellulose (HEC).

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IMPROVED WATER
HOLDING CAPACIT Y
As described earlier, microfibrillated
cellulose has a huge surface area with
many OH groups. These OH groups
form strong hydrogen bonds with water
molecules and keep them bound on the
fiber surface.
MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE AT A GLANCE: CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
THE NATURAL PERFOMANCE ENHANCER
FI G U RE 9
MFC can hold a lot of water compared to its mass. This pic-
ture shows 2% MFC suspension in water, which is creamy or
gel-like even if it contains 98% water.
As a consequence, MFC can hold water many times
its own weight, resulting in the gel-like appearance.
Good water holding ability means that MFC can
stabilize water based formulations and keep substrates
wetted longer. Good examples are paints and other
types of coatings where MFC can prolong the open
and wet edge time. This means that when the coating
dries more slowly, the time window for applying
a new layer, or correcting defects in the coating
layer without brush marks, is longer. This makes the
application process more flexible.
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STRENGTH AND REINFORCEMENT

Microfibrillated Cellulose has a very high aspect ratio with fibril diameters in the
nanometer range and fibril length in the micrometer range. This high aspect ratio,
together with the high crystallinity of MFC, makes MFC a potential reinforcement of
composites, films and coatings, amongst others.

The strength of crystalline cellulose has been
compared to the strength of Kevlar and various
composites containing MFC has been described as
having tensile strengths greater than cast iron (Moon,
2011 and Miao, 2013)
MFC is biodegradable and thus a good candidate
for reinforcing agent in biodegradable plastics
and packaging materials. For instance, MFC can
be combined with polylactic acid and be used
in nanocomposites. Polylactic acid is a versatile
polymer derived from renewable sources like sugar
beets and sugar canes. However, a problem with the
polylactic acid is that it is brittle. It has been tested to
use MFC to reinforce the polylactic acid composites
and increase the strength. The incorporation of MFC
resulted in improved mechanical properties, especially
the toughness of the composite was improved.
(Nakagaito, 2009).
MFC makes flexible composites needed in many
novel applications, like reinforcement of Li-ion
batteries. It has been demonstrated that MFC can
be used to reinforce methacrylic-based composite
polymer electrolyte membranes. The MFC reinforced
membranes had excellent mechanical properties,
high conductivity and good overall mechanical
performance. Especially the flexibility of the
membranes was very good, and this is interesting
for, amongst others, the use in flexible and extra thin
batteries for flexible electronics (Chiappone, 2011).
Cellulose in general is biocompatible (Lin and
Dufresne 2014) which means it can be used in
composite materials used in the human body. For
example, an MFC/polyvinyl-alcohol composite
coating can be used to reinforce Bioglass-based
porous scaffolds. Bioactive glasses are a group of
surface reactive glass-ceramic biomaterials. The
biocompatibility and bioactivity of these glasses
has led them to be investigated extensively for use
as implant materials in the human body, to repair
and replace diseased or damaged bone. However,
a problem with this material is its brittleness, which
causes challenges in load bearing applications. It has
been tested to dip Bioglass samples into an aqueous
solution of MFC and polyvinyl alcohol. The addition
of the MFC/polyvinyl alcohol coating led to a 10-fold
increase in tensile strength of the material (Bertolla,
2014).
For further reading on the use of MFC in
reinforcement of composites, Miao and Moons
((Moon, 2011 and Miao, 2013) reviews on cellulose
reinforced polymer composites and cellulose
nanomaterials are recommended.

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BARRIER PROPERTIES

MFC has good film forming properties, and the dried MFC films have been reported to
have very interesting barrier properties. Two parameter that has been studied is the water
vapor permeability and oxygen barrier properties of MFC films (Lavoine, 2012).

The oxygen barrier properties of MFC films are
excellent and have been reported to be comparable to
many well-known synthetic polymer films. The good
oxygen barrier properties are believed to be related to
the crystalline structure of MFC and the ability of the
microfibrils to form a dense network with inter and
intra fibrillary hydrogen bonds.
An interesting approach, also subject to studies, is
to coat MFC films on polymer films that typically
have good water vapor permeability. As a result a
good oxygen barrier and a good water barrier can
be obtained. This is a new way of producing barrier
materials and could offer the advantages of both the
polymers and the MFC.

The water vapor permeability of MFC films are also
good but not as good as for other polymer films. This
is due to MFC’s high affinity for water, but this can
be improved by modifying the hydroxyl groups on
the surface of the microfibrils, either chemically or by
absorption of polymers.
The novel barrier properties renders MFC an
appealing new biomaterial for, amongst others, food
packaging, paper coating and printing applications.
For further reading on MFC and its barrier properties,
a review article from Lavoine and co-workers is
recommended (Lavoine, 2014).

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INNOVATION OPP ORTUNITIES

Microfibrillated Cellulose inhabits many different interesting properties related to rheology

(flow and stability), reinforcement and barrier.

Due to the rather large range of different properties

expected when using MFC, the material is often
described as having the potential of being a
multifunctional additive bringing more than one
property into the application or formulation. This is an
opportunity to perhaps simplify the formulations while
at the same time obtain new properties and improved
formulations.

It can be said that MFC inhabits properties of both

soluble polymers and insoluble additives and in an
interesting way combines the properties of these two
worlds. MFC is not soluble in water, but in many
cases, it behaves like a water-soluble polymer and is
able to improve flow properties and stability of the
formulations in the same manner as the water soluble
polymers. However, the non-soluble nature of MFC
and the high crystallinity renders the material more
stable towards high temperatures, high shear and
changes in pH than most water soluble polymers. An
internal study of Borregaard’s Exilva MFC has shown
that the material is stable in the pH range of pH 1-13
over several months. So, for producers or scientists
looking for additives or ingredients that are effective
and stable over a vide pH range, it might be a good
idea to have a closer look at MFC as an alternative.
Also, MFC in general does not need swelling time or
pre-hydration and is not dependent on a certain pH
level to be activated. This can contribute to shorter
production times and a more efficient production
processes.
Increased focus on greener and more environmentally
friendly materials made from renewable sources is
emerging. MFC also improves the environmental
profile and CO2 footprint of the formulations and
materials.
The rheological properties of the MFC, in combination
with the reinforcement and barrier properties, form
a part of an additive that can both stabilize the
formulation and give the desired flow properties, as
well as give strength and barrier properties in the
end-product. The high water holding capacity of MFC
can also contribute to control drying time and keep
surfaces wetted longer.
Examples of possible application areas for MFC, and
how the different properties of MFC can contribute to
an improvement in these applications, are described
in more detail in chapter 4.

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3
CRITICAL SUCCES S FACTORS
WHEN APPLYING MFC

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When introducing MFC into a formulation one of the most critical success factors is to
make sure that the MFC is dispersed correctly. To make use of the large available surface
area of the MFC, it is important that the product is incorporated properly in the matrix
surrounding it.

The microfibrils in the MFC has high affinity for
each other and high shear is needed to obtain good
dispersion. Lower shear equipment can also be used,
but then longer time is required. If optimal dispersion
of the microfibrils is not achieved, the functionality
and the transfer of the characteristics from the MFC
may be lower or less efficient, decreasing the potential
performance in the finished product.
When MFC is added into a formulation there are a few
things that are important to consider. The MFC should
be added to the most polar phase of the formulation,
preferably in the water phase. For example, in an
emulsion, the MFC should be added to the water
phase before mixing with the oil phase. MFC is a
robust material and can be added in a homogenizing
or milling step that will help the dispersion of the
MFC. As an example, MFC can be added in a grind
phase with pigments and fillers, and this will aid the
dispersion.
Various types of equipment can be used to disperse
MFC. In the lab, the use of high shear equipment,
like an Ultra Turrax homogenizer or a Dispermat
disperser, will generally give a good dispersion.
However, lower shear equipment, like a propeller
mixer, can also be used, but longer time is required.
It is important to ensure that the whole dispersion
volume is homogenously mixed and that there is an
efficient transfer of the energy from the stirrer to the
full volume of the dispersion.

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The dry content of the MFC also has big impact on

the dispersion. In general, the higher the dry content
of the MFC, the more energy and higher shear will
be required in order to disperse the MFC properly.
If the MFC is diluted to a low concentration in a low
viscosity medium, higher shear and longer dispersion
times might be needed. In this case, it might be a
good idea to do a step-wise dilution by first making a
more concentrated dispersion of the MFC, and then
dilute it further afterwards.

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4
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
The previous chapter showed how versatile material MFC is. This chapter will show examples where
these properties can be utilized, based on Borregaard’s own experience and the literature.

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COATINGS – IMPROVING RHEOLOGY CONTROL AND COATING

QUALIT Y IN WATER- BA SED PRODUCTS

A high variety of rheology performers have been used in coatings for decades, since good control over the
rheology is crucial for the application and quality of the product. We have listed some examples:

• Improving stability: MFC has high yield stress and high viscosity at rest, which is important for the
product´s performance as an anti-settling aid and as anti-syneresis aid.
• Very high pH stability: MFC has shown extremely high stability towards pH. The product can withstand
differences in pH from pH 1 to pH 13, giving flexibility in processing the product as MFC typically can
tolerate any part of the production process when it comes to pH.
• Matting effect: Opaque appearance of MFC gives a matting effect to the final paint or coating products.
This typically eliminates coatings and paints where high gloss is wanted.
• Good spray properties and anti-sag agent: MFC has very high shear thinning capabilities and rapid
viscosity recovery. This behavior makes it suitable for products where rapid response to shear forces is
wanted. Typical example is application by spraying.
• Longer open time and wet edge time: MFC is good at holding water, so it can keep the coating wet longer.
This prolongs the time when corrections or second layer can be applied without brush marks or other
defects.
• Good film and barrier properties: MFC improves the mud-crack and scrub resistance of paints. This
comes probably from the strong and flexible network of the microfibrils, which can resist defects coming
from the drying or external stress (see also Borregaard’s technical bulletin on this topic). These properties
enable thicker layers to be applied, which reduces the number of film layers needed.
• No VOC: MFC will not add any VOC substances to the coating

FI G U RE 10
The anti mud-crack effect of adding Exilva to a
45% PVC exterior acrylic paint was compared
to the same formulation based on a standard
HEC. A film was prepared at multiple thick-
nesses, ranging from 14 through 60 Mils. Exilva
provides increased crack resistance during
curing from 2oC to 24oC (35oF to 75oF) when
added 0.38% to the paint. With Exilva, no
cracking was observed even at 60 Mils thick-
ness (i.52 mm) (lower picture), whereas the
HEC paint displayed cracking for all thickness-
es above 14 Mils (0.36 mm) (upper picture).
See more in Borregaard's technical bulletin.

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ADHESIVES –
GOOD STAB ILIT Y AT HIG H
AND LOW PH
Adhesives are in many instances
manufactured through processes including
a wide range of pH. Thus, pH stability of
the additives used in these processes is key
to obtain and maintain functionality of the
resin or the finished adhesive.
MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE AT A GLANCE: CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
THE NATURAL PERFOMANCE ENHANCER
Typically, stabilizing additives, and additives designed
for efficient rheology performance, have limitations to
their functionality at extreme pH ranges. The non-
soluble nature of the cellulose microfibrils provides an
increasingly robust and stable product system towards
high variety in pH during production.
Since MFC is a water-based suspension, it is suitable
for waterborne systems, like:
• Waterborne polyurethane formulations
• Waterborne epoxy formulations
• Waterborne acrylic formulations
• Urea formaldehyde systems
Examples of functionalities MFC can add to the
adhesives:
• Very high pH stability
• Extremely shear thinning and quick recovery of
viscosity, good spray properties
• Longer open time due to high water retention
• MFC does not add VOC substances to the
adhesive
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PERSONAL CARE – This is clear advantage compared to certain synthetic

NATUR AL THICKENER WITH viscosifiers which tend to make the product sticky.
MANY FUNCTIONS Recently, studies performed with Borregaard’s Exilva
MFC, has pointed out some areas where it may
MFC can be used in personal care generate improvements:

products like face creams, sun sprays and

• Ability to spray thick formulations: extreme shear
shampoos as a stabilizer and viscosifier thinning and fast viscosity recovery of MFC makes
which also gives good skin feel. it a potential thickener for products which are
applied by spraying, like sun care products (more
information on Borregaard’s technical bulletin)
• Soft focus: MFC has a mattifying effect on
skin which is described to increase the visual
attractiveness.
• Immediate anti-wrinkle effect: MFC can reduce
the roughness of the skin immediately after
applying the anti-wrinkle cream. This is probably
related to its ability to fill roughness, its soft focus
effect, moisturizing and film forming properties
(check also Borregaard’s technical bulletin).
• Hair conditioning effect: MFC has shown to
reduce the wet combing force of hair meshes both
on grey and bleached hair (more results shown on
Borregaard’s technical bulletins on gray hair and
bleached hair)
FI G U RE 1 1 • MFC fits well to the current trend of using natural
MFC is good stabilizer and thickener for face creams and gives
nice skin feel. materials in cosmetics.

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HOME CARE – STAB ILIT Y

E VEN AT LOW PH

MFC can be used as a stabilizer and

thickener in home care products like liquid
hand dishwashing detergent or liquid
laundry detergent (Barnabas et al. 2010,
Boutique and Vandenberghe 2009).

MFC makes the formulation thicker and can increase

the product sensation. Since MFC is opaque or
transparent it does not change the optical properties.
It can suspend solid particles in the formulation or
stabilize emulsions, but at the same time the product
is easy to pour out of the bottle or other package. It
can be used with surfactants and at low pH where
many of the traditional viscosifiers do not work. In
addition, MFC is able to encapsulate fragrances and
keep them active longer.

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CONSTRUCTION -
RHEOLOGY CONTROL AND INCRE A SED STAB ILIT Y

MFC can be used in cementitious systems, like Advantages:

concrete and mortar, to maintain a homogeneous • Rheology control – enhances yield stress, giving
material mix and prevent segregation. MFC is strong thickening and shear thinning
particularly suitable for a non-sticky cementitious • Creates a non-sticky and non-plastic concrete
system. Even a small amount of MFC gives high • Increases stability of end products
viscosity at rest, stability and rapid viscosity build-up.
At the same time, MFC offers a high shear thinning
effect making the application of cement easy.

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AG RICULTUR AL CHEMICAL S –
ENHANCED UPTAKE OF HERB ICIDES

One of the less obvious application areas for MFC
is agricultural chemicals. Borregaard has shown that
MFC enhances the uptake of herbicides (see patent
application by Øvrebø (2015) and Borregaard’s
technical bulletin) when added to the spray solution
(see Figure 10). After the herbicide has been sprayed
on the leaves, it needs to permeate through the leaf
cuticle into the plant. In case of glyphosate (commonly
used herbicide), this only occurs if it is dissolved in
water. Because of the high water holding capacity of
MFC, it is reasonable to assume that MFC keeps the
water on the leaf longer and, in that way, prolongs
the time the glyphosate is able to penetrate the leaf
cuticle. However, the mode of action is not totally
understood.
In addition to herbicides, other type of pesticides and
fertilizers can be applied by spraying on the fields.
MFC has the potential to improve the uptake of such
compounds as well. As for the other application areas,
MFC can also stabilize suspensions and emulsions, for
example nutrient formulations.

FI G U RE 1 2
Fresh weight of black nightshade plants 2 weeks after treating them with a herbicide solution (glyphosate) (grey column) and glyphosate
and different amounts of MFC (Exilva). Fresh weight is given as a percentage of the untreated plants. The picture shows the same plants
treated with 0.6 mM glyphosate (A) and with 0.6 mM glyphosate + 0.01% MFC (B) 2 weeks after the treatment. MFC improved the effect
of herbicide (lower fresh weight of the plants meaning that herbicide has effectively prevented the growth) and quite low concentrations
were sufficient (0.0025-0.02% of the spray solution). (ref to bulletin)

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OILFIELD – E XCELLENT FLOW PROPERTIES

Flow properties, together with good temperature- and pH stability, makes MFC a good
candidate for oil drilling and other oil production applications.

Drilling fluids are used to carry out the cuttings
from the wellbore to the surface, cool drill pipes
and bits, reduce friction between the formation
and drill equipment, stabilize wellbore and avoid
formation collapse. Drilling fluids should tolerate
high temperatures and salt concentrations, be
environmentally friendly and safe and be low reactive.
MFC fulfills these requirements and it could be used
in drilling fluids alone or in combination with other
polymers (modified polysaccharides, guar gum,
xanthan gum) (Turbak et al. 1982; Weibel 1983;
Laglois et al. 1997; Laukkanen et al. 2011; Li et al.
2015).
MFC can also be used in well treatment fluids to help
obtain the oil and gas collected from the well (Lafitte
et al. 2015). For example, fracturing fluids are used to
break down the geological formation around the well
bore and create fracture by pumping the fluid at high
pressure. This enhances the production rates.

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EXILVA THE NATURAL PERFOMANCE ENHANCER

PAPER AND PACK AG ING –

WE T STRENGTH AND BARRIER PROPERTIES

MFC can improve wet and dry strength in paper and multilayer packaging (Taipale et al.
2010; Kajanto and Kosonen 2012).

It can also be used to increase the amount of fillers
in paper, which improves the optical properties and
reduces the cost by lowering the grammage (Hentze
2010). On the other hand, it can make the dewatering
more difficult and reduce opacity. MFC can improve
the barrier properties of packages (oxygen and grease
barrier) and improve the printability.
MFC can be used for paper coating, since it is shear
thinning, easy to apply, and the coating layer becomes
even and thin. This improves the printing properties.
However, MFC might reduce the gloss of paper and
possibly suits better for matte paper. MFC coating also
improves the oxygen and grease barrier properties.
It is very hygroscopic, which can reduce the water
barrier properties, but this can be improved by adding
some hydrophobic elements to the coating.

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5
WHAT IS E XILVA AND BORREG A ARD?

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EXILVA THE NATURAL PERFOMANCE ENHANCER

Borregaard produces environmentally One of Borregaard’s new products is the

friendly biochemicals and biomaterials
to replace oil-based products based on
natural and sustainable raw materials.
microfibrillated cellulose product called Exilva.
Borregaard is currently building a commercial plant
for producing Exilva at Borregaard’s main factory site
in Sarpsborg, Norway. The plant will be operational
from Q3 2016 and the capacity will be 50 000 metric
tons of Exilva dispersion (1000 metric tons dry active
material) per year. For more information about Exilva,
have a look at our web page www.exilva.com.

FI G U RE 1 3
Borregaard's first of a kind commercial plant for production of microfibrillated cellulose is being built in Sarpsborg, Norway.

MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE AT A GLANCE: CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS 30

EXILVA
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